Accessible concerts, design biases & 7 types of rest (SBLTN Lab Notes 038)
Accessible live concerts, addressing biases in the design process, Indigenous poster design, and 7 types of rest
IN THE MARGINS
Some people ramp up to “finish the year strong” while others hit cruise control.
🎤 SHARE: What are some ways you’re going to truly rest and rejuvenate between now and end of the year? (Drawing a blank? Check the end of this newsletter. There are some whispers in the hallway about how to rest…. 😏)
ACCESSIBILITY
Accessible Live Concerts
Y’all will never get me to shut up about how much I love music and the positive impact it has on my life. Whenever live shows/concerts are made more accessible, I really bust a move!
The band Coldplay already scored mad points with me for having a bop with my fave Korean group but then they racked up hella kudos for the steps taken to make their global tour accessible.
Offer sign language interpreters
Offering SUBPACs (a tactile audio system such as a vibrating vest that allows the person to feel the music)
Sensory bags and a mobile sensory refuge station for those with sensory sensitivities
Touch tours pre-show for those who are blind or have low vision
A dedicated email address for people to request access accommodations or offer inclusion suggestions
(Source)
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
Biased By Design
As someone with an intersectional identity, it’s easy for me to get lost just focusing on the parts that are marginalized. I’m grateful for the balancing moments that remind me of the other parts that are in closer proximity to power and privilege - such as being a fluent English speaker, having U.S. citizenship, and having degrees from educational institutions.
With this nuance, I also remember that we all hold inherent biases in some way. Having tools to help me recognize, assess, and address these biases has been crucial not only in my client work but when practicing being in community with others. Designers are just as vulnerable to the blindspots and fallacies that come with cognitive bias as the people who use the products and services we design.
Biased By Design is a resource for cultivating awareness of when and how cognitive bias can be introduced into the design process. For each of the 6 common cognitive biases, the site explains how it occurs and how you can avoid it then provides a case study and additional reading.
ART & DESIGN
Posters That Sing: Notes on Indigenous Poster Design
Indigenous representation in poster history typically focuses on racist depictions leaning on stereotypes and caricatures of Native culture to sell products or events. Alongside this horrific history, however, Indigenous poster designers and printers have thrived, creating a legacy of vibrant, exciting imagery that counters the dominant narrative. Poster House is pleased to partner with designer and scholar Brian Johnson for a discussion on this often overlooked body of Indigenous work, helping expand the cannon of poster history.
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Signing off from the Starship SBLTN,
Laneen (Pronouns: she/they)
HEARD IN THE HALLWAYS
“Rest Isn’t The Opposite Of Work”
Did you know there are at least 7 types of rest? Here's what they are and some ways to integrate them into your workday:
Physical Rest - Take a midday nap, switch workspaces
Mental Rest - Take a midday shower, add in a cleaning block
Sensory Rest - Work without a screen, go on a walking meeting
Creative Rest - Get out the the house, create an inspiration folder
Emotional Rest - Get lunch with a friend, see a therapist
Social Rest - Turn meetings into emails, schedule daily "me time"
Spiritual Rest - Join a group/club, volunteer in community
Read full article by Marissa Goldbert
📖 Reading: Nice News
🎧 Listening: This neat website plays music from all over the world, dating from 1900 to the present. Hop into the “musical time machine” by clicking a year and a country to hear the radio favorites from that decade and place. There’s even a cool “future” option to listen to the imagined music of the year 2070. Explore and play tunes for free, or create a premium account to save your favorite songs.